Fabric treating machine



Dec. 14, 1937. H. H BELCHER FABRIC TREATING MACHINE Filed July l3, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTOR: mmid mzer WITNESSES" 1360- 1937. H. H. BELCHER FABRIC TREATING MACHINE Filed July 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR:

W1 TNEEES Z ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 14, 1937. H 2,101,974

FABRIC TREATING MACHINE Filed July 13, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet s oooo oob ooo oooo QOOOOO 000000 o 0000 0000 0%9000 oooooo crbo OOOQ oooo dbbooo 0.0 00 000 oooer glfihoooo oooooo l\ o 00 000000 @000 oooooofioooooo oooo oofepooJ oooooo llllllllili WITNESSES IWENTOR:

TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 14, 19 37 FABRIC TREATING MACHINE Harold H. Belcher, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to The Philadelphia Drying Machi ry Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation 0 Pennsylvania Application July 13, 1931, Serial No. 550,443

8 Claims.

My invention relates to machines useful in treating textile fabrics; and it has more particular reference to machines for performing operations such as drying, tentering, cooling, folding,

etc., of freshly bleached or dyed fabrics in preparation for storage or shipment.

Considered in its broadest aspect, my invention,is directed toward enabling the aforementioned and like operations to be effected continuously and economically in a minimum of time, and with assurance of consistent uniformity in [appearance and feel of the treated fabric.

In connection with a machine suitable to the attainment of the foregoing. desiderata, I aim to make provisions, in a drying chamber through which the fabric is guided over a succession of horizontal longitudinal passes, for circulatingthe air laterally orcrosswise of the chamber over separate courses within as many definite superposed drying zones, so as to pass over and under, and to a certain extent through the runs of the fabric respectively within suchzones; as well as provisions whereby different regulatable temperatures may be maintained within theseveral zones aforesaid to predetermine graduated drying of the fabric concurrently with progression of the latter in the machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide baffle means whereby the air circulated in each of the several drying zones is obstructed in certain of the spaces between the runs of the fabric thereby to set up a slight pressure differential between opposite sides of the said fabric runs, the pressure being so directed as to promote penetration of the fabric by the air andat the same time to assist in its retention by a tentering conveyor means which is relied upon to maintain it under transverse tension incident to progression in the machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide for constant proportionate replacement of the saturated air within the machine by fresh air.-

, from the exterior, with determination at the ing detailed description considered-in connection with the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I is a Y plan view of a fabric treating machine conveniently embodying the present improvements.

Fig. II is an illustration partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section viewed as indicated by the arrows II-IIin Fig. I; and,

Fig. III shows a cross sectional view of the machine takn as indicated by the arrows III-F-III in Figs.. I and II.

As herein depicted, my improved fabric treating machine comprises an-elongate housing 5 with a-built up skeleton frame 5 of structural iron; and with top, side and end walls I, 8, 9, l0 and i I of sheet metal supported by the said skeleton frame. In reality, the several walls Il of the housing 5 are preferably constructed double with interposition of suitable thermo-insulation after standard practice in this art. At the forward or left hand end (-as considered in Figs. I and II) of the machine, the skeleton frame 6 is extended beyond the housing 5 as at l2, to aflord support for the various instrumentalities whereby the fabric F, which is being treated, is guided and longitudinally tensioned exteriorly of the housing 5. As shown, these guide instrumentalities include rollers l3, l4 and 15 (Fig. II) by which the fabric F is directed down the frontal side and beneath the tread boards of an'operators platform l6. After rounding the roller IS, the fabric F is trained over and under a pair of tension rods I1 and thence over a stationary spreader' bar ill by which'all wrinkles and other irregularities are smoothed. From the spreader bar la the fabric F is passed over the longitudinally slotted horizontal tube ii) of a vacuum extractor 20 located at the forward end ofthe frame extension, I2, for removal of the free moisture therefrom. As shown in Figs. I and 11,; the extractor tube l9 connects with a pipe 2i leading from a motor-driven suction blower 22 atone side of the machine. After leaving the extractor tube I9, the fabric F is trained about another fixed guide roll 23 and thereby directed to a drag drum 24. By cooperation with the drag drum 24, still another stationary guide roller 25 determines the formation of a droploop L in the fab- .-ric'=F, which loop issupported, with provision of under a definite tension forpresentation to a tentering conveyor which comprises a pair of endless sprocket chains 29, 3|). As shown in Fig. II, the chains 29, 38 are trained about a pair of sprocket wheels 3|, 32 mounted on a transverse shaft 33 above the drag drum 24, see Fig. I. Upon 'rounding the sprocket wheels 3|, 32 the conveyor chains 29, 30 follow a divergent upward course to a pair of sprockets 34, 35 mounted on'another transverse shaft 36 near the top of the framework extension I2, immediately adjacent the frontal end wall ll) of the housing 5, see Figs. I and II. By these sprockets 34, 35, the chains 39, 40 and 4| are directed through a horizontal slot or opening 31 in the frontal wall |ll of the housing .5 into the interior of the said housing, which affords an elongate drying chamber with a series of vertically spaced longitudinally-directed partitions 38, see Fig. III, which divide it into a number of superposed drying zones 39, 40 and 4|. Within the enclosure the conveyor chain's29, 38 are caused to trace a number of horizontal runs back and forth longitudinally of the machine-in each of the drying zones 39, 48 and 4| successively, incident to progressing the fabric F through the machine, by transversely spaced vertically arranged sprocket wheels 42, 43 and 44, 45 respectively at the oppositeends of the enclosure. From Figs. I and III-it iwillbe noted that the sprocket wheels 42, .43 are fcarried'- by a fixed portion 46 of the skeleton frame 6, while the sprocket wheels 44, 45 are carried by a frame 41 supported on rollers 48 with capacity for ad'- justment. transversely of the drying chamber. The means for adjusting the frame 41 include a number of screws 49 which engage suitable nut' bearings 50 on the frame and which are driven, through speed reduction gearing conventionally indicated at 5| in Fig. I, by an electric motor 52 arranged exteriorly of themachine at that side which is uppermost in Fig. I. The horizontal runs of the chains 29, 30 between the sprockets 42, 43'and 44,45 are supported in guideways 53, 54 respectively secured to the portion 46 of the skeleton frame 6 and to the adjustable frame 41; and the links of the said chains arefitted with pins 55, 56 upon which the edges of the fabric F are impaled. It will be particularly noted from Fig. III that the pins 55, 56 of the two conveyor chains 29 and 38 are respectively inclined outwards or in a direction away from ea? other. The lowermost pair of sprocket whee s of the series 43, 45 are mounted on a shaft 51 (Figs. I and II) having journal bearing in the fixed and adjustable frames 6 and 46, which shaft 51 is driven by a speed reducing spur gear train 58 from 'a-power shaft 59 at the right hand end of the machine. The power shaft 59 derives motion, through a sprocket chain connection 66, from an adjustable variable speed device 6| mounted on the top of the housing 5. This variable speed device 6| may be of any suitable commercial type, it being driven, in turn, by a sprocket chain or belt connection 62 from a juxtaposed motor 63 also mounted on the top of the housing 5. By means of a suitable train of' spur gears, not shown, motion is communicated from the shaft 51 to all the shafts of the several conveyor chain sprockets 43. The drag drum 24 previously referred to is co-ordinated by means of a sprocket chain 64, withanoth'er adjustable variable speed device 65 supported by a shelf 66 in the external prolongation |2 of the frame 6, see

Fig. II. The device 65 in turn derives motion, through-a chain 81, from the conveyor sprocket shaft 33. Obviously, by adjusting' the variable speed device 6|, the conveyor may be made to travel at any desired rate of speed; while, by adjusting the variable speed device 65, a proportionate differential speed may be determined for the drag roller 24 to maintain the desired amount of slack of the fabric F within the .39, 48 and 4| are intercommunicative to a limited extent at the left of the partitions 38 as and for a purpose which will be later on explained, as well as more freely to the right of said partitions 38. There is also a supplemental partition or he e 18 near the roof 1 of the housing which, like the. orizontal partitions 38, does not extend the full width of the drying chamber, but which does reach to the side wall 8.- The purpose of this supplemental partition 10 will also be later on explained.

Along the side of the machine that is lowermost in Fig. I, the housing 5 is formed with a pair of offsets or bays 1|. Horizontal partitions 12, extending between the fixed portion 46 of the frame 6 and the side wall 9 of the housing 5 set apart in the offsets 1| a number of superposed heating compartments 13, 14 and 15, respectively, at the levels of the zones 39, 48 and 4| within the drying chamber of the housing 5, see Fig. III. As shown, these heating compartments 13, 14 and 15 are similarly constructed, each being subdivided by a horizontal partition 16 into upper and lower subdivisions 11, 18 which communicate laterally with the upper and lower portions of the drying zones 39, 40 and 4|, respectively, above and below the fabric runs marked F in Fig. III. Thus the subdivision of the compartments 13, 14, 15 corresponds to these fabric runs F. Within the subdivisions 11,18 of the respective heating compartments 13, 14 and 15 are steam heating coils 19 and 80, provided with separately regulata ble valves 8| (Fig. I). In each instance, a series of coaxial centrifugal fans 82 operate to maintain a circulation and recirculation of air laterally of the corresponding drying zone, with transverse passes in opposite directions back and forth in contact with opposite sides of the fabric run marked F in Fig. III, in the top and bottom of the zone; In the transverse circuits of the ad-jaoent'zones the air flow is relatively reversed. The

fans 82 in the heating compartments 13 and 15, it will be noted from-Fig. III, are arranged to draw air in from the lower portions of the drying zones 39 and 4| through theheating compartment subdivisions 18 past the heating-coils in the latter, and to discharge the air back into the upper portions of the said drying-zones 39 and 4| via the upper subdivisions 11 past the coils-19; The fans 82 in the intermediate heating compartment 14, on the other hand, maintain air circulation in a reverse directiom-that is to say, they operate to draw the air from the upper-part of, the

intermediate drying zone 46 into the upper subdivision 11 of the said heating compartment 14 past the coils 19 therein, and to discharge it back into the lower part of the said'intermediate drying zone 48 through the lower subdivision 18 of the compartment 14 past the heating coils 80 therein. By action of the several fans 82, it is evident that the circulated .air is caused to flow over and under the runs of the fabric F in the further advantageous in that it permits location respective drying compartments 39, 48 and 4|, the reversed action of the fans in the intermediate drying compartment being advantageous in preventing undesirable mixing of the air between the contiguously inter-communicating passes of adjoining drying zones, through determination of parallel flow of the air streams at opposite sides of the partitions 38 in the same direction, as will be manifest from Fig. III.

In order to secure penetration of the fabric to a certain extent by the air circulated in the several drying zones 39, 48 and 4|, we provide two vertical series of bailles or dampers 83 and 84 cated by the arrows in Fig. III. It will also be remarked from Fig. III that the higher of the two pressures. acts, in each instance, to assist retention of the fabric runs by the pins 55 onthe tentering conveyor chains 29, 38. The air is thus in part blown through the fabric F for intimate contact with its fibers, and in part blown across opposite sides of the several fabric runs with attendant acceleration of the drying action.

Referring toFigs. I and II, the fans 82 are grouped in aligned pairs, which pairs are enclosedin separate housings or bays set apart as a consequence of the central recessing of the offsets or bays H as at 85, 85. The fan drive shafts 86 extend out through the opposite transverse walls of all the bays. The contiguous ends of the'shafts 86 of the aligned pairs of the fans 82 are connected within the recesses 85 of the housing oflfsets H as well as in the space Ha between the said offsets, by flexible couplings 88. The recessed construction of theoffsets H is of all the fan shaft bearings 81at the exterior of the housing 5 where theyare readily accessible for oiling and kept cool. As shown in Fig. I. each horizontal series of the fans 82 is driven by a separate exteriorly located motor 89. Ac-

cess is had to the coils I9 and 88 within the various drying compartments 13, I4 and 15 by means of full height doors 98 at opposite ends of the housing offsets 1|.

In order to constantly replace the spentmois- I ture laden air within the drying chamber by fresh air from the exterior I have made provisions as follows:-Mounted on the top of the housing 5 adjacent the side wall 8 and near opposite ends of the housing are centrifugal suction blowers 9| which are driven by separate electric motors 92 and serve to-draw out a definite proportion of the air through discharge openings in the top I of the housing. In this connection, it will be observed that the supplemental ba'ille I8 previously referred to prevents short circuiting of the air thus drawn from the uppermost drying zone 39 by the exhaust blowers ill, and, furthermore, operates to insure passageof most of the air over the top of the wettest run of the clothto extract the moisture from the latter to a maximum extent before being exhausted by the blowers 9|. {The action of the blowers 9| is satisfied by fresh air enterin the lowermost drying zone 4| from the exterior, through a pair of preheaters 93 at one side of the housing 8,

the said preheaters being open to the outside atmosphere and containing steam coils 94 for warming the incoming air. Under the action of the blowers 9|, and the influence of the inward I and downward sloping deflector batlie(s) 94a extending along the wall 8 above the air inlet openingis) from the preheaters 93 (Fig. III) the incoming air is obliged to mingle first with the dryest air in the lowermost drying zone 4|, and

a gradual upward robbing or transmission of air will take place from zone to zone amongst the several drying zones 394|, around the opposite edges of the horizontal partitions 38, in a generally upward direction contrary to the general downward movement of the fabric F as indicated 15 by the dotted arrows in Fig. III. After having .passed through the whole of the drying chamber, the fabric F emerges through an opening 95 in the lower part of the front wall l8 of the latter, and, in this instance, enters a supplemental chamber 96 in which it is cooled. Within the cooling chamber 96 is a pair of sprocket wheels 91, 98 for the conveyor chains 29, 38, which are mounted on a transverse shaft 99. From these sprockets 91, 98 the chains travel vertically and out through an opening in the top of the cooling chamber 98 to idler sprockets suitably journalled in the forward extension l2 of the framework 6, whereby the said chains are directed to'the feed sprockets 3| and 32. Immediately upon entering the cooling chamber 98,.the fabric F is withdrawnfrom the conveyor chains 29, 38 and caused to trace a number of runs up and down within said chamber under the guidance of freely revolving transverse rollers |8|. The cool air entering at the top of the chamber 98 passes downward through the runs of the fabric F and enters the drying enclosure through the opening 95, thereby supplementing the fresh air taken in through the preheaters 93. Suitable means, not shown, may be provided in the chamber 96 for circulating the air to hasten the cooling. After having traversedthe. cooling chamber 96, the fabric leaves the top of the latter through van opening I82, and is thereafter directed, byanother guide roller I83, to a folding mechanism I84 suspended within the external extension I2 of the machine frame 6. This folding mechanism I84 is of a type comprising a pair of draw rolls I which are driven through the medium of a chain connection I86 with one of. the'convey'or sprockets 33 and a slowly oscillating guide I81 which delivers thefabric F in horizontal folds.

-The various novel features herein disclosed all contribute toward attainment of'greater perfection intthe construction-ms well as. in the'oDera tion' ofxmachinery. for treating textile fabrics.

The facilities provided for -maintain ing differential temperatures in as many different zones of the drying chamber, and for maintaining air circulation in opposite directions in alternate of the'aforesaid zones, are especially unique, and

make it possible to uniformly dry continuous lengths of fabric F in'a minimum of time. The machine of my invention is well adapted to the treatment of fine fabrics, including worsteds,

where the matter of temperatures is exceedingly 1. A machine for drying fabrics in lengths comprising an elongated housing affording a plurality of superposed contiguously intercommunicating drying zones; means for directing fabric in longitudinal horizontal runs through the several drying zones; and means coacting with the fabric runs to circulate and recirculate the air in transverse circuits back and forth across the several drying zones, with passes of the air oppositely in the top and bottom of each zone in contact with opposite sides of a run of fabric therein, and with reverse air fiow in the circuits of adjacent zones, so that the How in the intercommunicating contiguous passes of adjacent zones is in the same direction.

2. A machine for drying fabrics in lengths comprising an elongated housing; means for directing fabric therethrough in a multiplicity of longitudinal horizontal runs which occupy only part of the width of the housing and have their edges spaced inward from both its sides; horizontal longitudinal partitions in said housing defining a plurality of superposed contiguously intercommunicating drying zones, such partitions dividing the space between one side of the housing and the adjacent edges of the fabric runs into superposed chambers corresponding to the drying zones; and means in said chambers for circulating and recirculating" the air in transverse circuits back and forth across .the several drying zones, with transverse passes of the air oppositely in the top and bottom of each zone in contact with opposite sides of a run of fabric therein, and with reverse air flow in the circuits of adjacentzones.

3. A machine for drying fabrics in lengths comprising an elongated housing affording a plurality of superposed contiguously intercom municating drying zones; means for directing fabric in longitudinal horizontal runs (through the several drying zones; and means for circulat- I ing and recirculating the air in transverse cir-- cuits back and forth across the several drying zones, with passes of the air oppositely in the top and bottom of each zone in contact with opposite sides of a run of fabric therein; said last-mentioned means comprising a series of superposed compartments in the housing alongside the fabric runs, each opening into the corresponding drying zone above and below the aforesaid run of fabric in said zone, and correspondingly subdivided into upper and lowersubdivisions, and centrifugal air circulating fans in said compartments drawing air from one subdivision of each and delivering into its other subdivision, the delivery of air from the fans being reversed as between those in adjacent compartments, so that the air flow in the intercommunicating contiguous passes of adjacent zones is in the same direction.

4. A machine for drying fabrics inlengths comprising an elongated housing; means for directing fabric therethrough in a multiplicity of longitudinal horizontal runs which occupy only part of the width of. the housing and have their edges spaced inward from both its sides; horizontal longitudinal partitions in said housing defining a plurality of superposed drying zones, such partitions extending inward from one side of the housing across the space between such side and the adjacent fabric edges, thus dividing this space into superposed chambers corresponding to the drying zones, and at the other side of the housing extending partlyacross the fabric runs but leaving the drying zones in communication adjacent the corresponding housing wall, as well as adjacent said chambers; and means in said chambers for circulating and recirculating the air in-transverse circuits back and forth across the several drying zones, with transverse passes of the air oppositely in the top and bottom of each zone, and with reverse air flow in the circuits of adjacent zones.

5. A machine for drying fabrics in lengths comprising an elongated housing, with a side wall thereof recessed or offset inward at intervals, forming spaced bays; means for directing fabric through the housing in a multiplicity of longitudinal horizontal runs which occupy only part of the width of the housing and have their edges spaced inward from both its sides; horizontal longitudinal partitions in said housing defining a plurality of superposed drying zo'nes, such partitions extending inward from the bayed side of the housing across the space between such side and the adjacent fabric edges, thus dividing this space into superposed chambers corresponding to the drying zones, and at the other side of the housing extending partly across the fabric runs, leaving the drying zones contiguously inter-communicating; means including air circulating fans in said chambers for circulating and recirculating the air in transverse circuits back and forth across the several drying zones, with transverse passes of. the air oppositely in the top and bottom of each zone, and with reverse air flow in the circuits of adjacent zones, said fans having longitudinal drive shafts extending out through the opposed transversely extending walls of each of said bays, with bear- 'ings therefor accessible outside said transverse walls; and heating means for the air in said chambers, between said fans and said drying zones.

6. A machine for drying fabrics in lengths comprising an elongated housing with horizontal longitudinal partitions defining therein a plurality of superposed drying zones intercommunicating to a. limited extent at one side of the housing, and also intercommunicating contiguously and more freely near its other side; means for directing fabric in longitudinal runs through the several drying zones; means at said other side of the housing for circulating and recirculating the air in transverse circuits back and forth across the several drying zones, with transverse passes of the air oppositely in the top and bottom of each zone in contact with opposite sides of a run of fabric therein; means for supplying outside air to the lowermost drying zone, to mingle with the transverse circulation therein; means for discharging air from the ,upper transverse pass of the uppermost drying zone; and a baflle in the upper pass of the uppermost drying zone extending from the housing side opposite its circulating means past said discharging means, so as to prevent short-circuiting of air from lower transverse passes to said exhausting means.

7. A machine for drying fabrics in lengths complurality of superposed drying zones, such partitions extending inward from one side of the housing across the space between such side and the adjacent fabric edges, thus dividing this space into superposed chambers corresponding to the drying zones, and at the other side of the housing extending partly across the fabric runs but leaving the drying zones in communication adja-' cent the corresponding housing wall, as well as adjacent said chambers; means in said cham bers for circulating and recirculating the air in transverse circuits back and forth across the several drying zones, with transverse passes of the air oppositely in the'top and bottom of each zone, and with reverse air flow in the circuits of adjacent zones; means for supplying outside air to the lower transverse pass of the lowermost drying zone; means for discharging air from the upper transverse pass of the uppermost drying zone; and a bafiie in said upper pass of the uppermost drying zone extending from the side of the housing opposite said chambers inward past said discharging means, so as to prevent short-circuiting of air from lower drying zones directly to said discharging means.

8. In a machine for drying fabrics in continuous lengths, an elongated drying chamber subdivided into a number of superposed drying zones by longitudinal partitions extending approxiculation through the drying chamber; guide means causing the fabric to trace a number of horizontal passes sinuously back and forth longitudinally above and below all of the partitions in the drying chamber; separately enclosed vertically-rotating centrifugal ians, arranged in series at intervals along the length of the machine at one side, some of said fans being adapted to circulate air transversely of the drying chamber in one direction and intervening fans circulating the air in a counter-direction, the shafts of the several fans being aligned and coupled eX- teriorly in the intervals between the fan enclosur and exteriorly located means for driving I the s id series of fans.

HAROLD H. BELCHER. 

